Barbra Streisand auctions movie costumes, art for charity

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - After a lifetime of collecting, Barbra Streisand is holding an auction of over 500 personal items including costumes from her movies "Funny Lady" and "The Way We Were," with all proceeds to go to her charity.

Julien's Auctions said in a statement on Thursday that all proceeds from 67-year-old Streisand's auction would benefit the Streisand Foundation that she set up in 1986 to help preserve the environment, civil rights, and women's issues.

But rather than showcasing her items in a gallery, the singer/actress will be boarding some of the items from her New York apartment, Carolwood home in Beverly Hills, and her Malibu Ranch house on Cunard's Queen Mary 2.

A preview of the collection will travel to England on the cruise liner's August 23 transatlantic crossing and the highlights will then go on show at The Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, for two weeks in September.

A full public exhibition of the items to go under the hammer will take place at The Beverly Hilton from October 10-16 with the two-day auction being held on October 17 and 18.

Items on sale include her pink robe from the 1973 movie "The Way We Were," outfits from the 2004 film "Meet The Fockers," and stage-worn gowns from her 1994 and 2000 tours.

As well as stage-worn clothing and film-worn costumes, the sale run by Julien's Auctions will feature paintings, furniture and other works of art that she has collected over the years as well as her personal Yamaha Baby Grand Piano.

The auction comes as Streisand prepares to release her new jazz album, "Love Is the Answer," produced by Diana Krall.

To launch the album, Streisand will perform to an audience of 100 at New York's Village Vanguard jazz club on September 26. Tickets will be distributed via a sweepstake on her website www.barbrastreisand.com.

Streisand last performed at the club in Greenwich Village in 1961 as the opening act for Miles Davis.